Understanding Your Building Components
One of the most pressing questions when designing repairs for concrete slabs is whether or not the slab is post-tensioned, and if so, the locations of the stressed tendons. Accidentally cutting through a stressed tendon will decrease the slab’s load carry capacity, could possibly endanger the structural stability of the entire slab, and may result in injury to those in the building.
If present, the tendons and other imbedded items can usually be located through the use of ground penetrating radar equipment, but locating the tendons would be more accurate if the original building plans and shop drawings were available for review. It is imperative that property owners keep a copy of original building plans and documents and a comprehensive running log of all building studies, repairs, etc. in order to provide engineers and repair contractors with the most complete picture of their building’s history; these documents can be incredibly helpful when trying to understand your building and should be preserved. Providing ETC with as much information as possible will help us provide you with a comprehensive repair plan and avoid hidden headaches during construction.
